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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25040422">We Appreciate Romance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drogna/pseuds/Drogna'>Drogna</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>We Appreciate Power [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, First Date, Fluff and Angst, RipFic, RipWeek 2020, TimeShip</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:28:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25040422</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drogna/pseuds/Drogna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After Rip and Gideon escape from Cortex they must decide how their new relationship works. Gideon has an android body but she's still an omniscient AI and Rip is only human.</p>
<p>Coda to We Appreciate Power</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gideon/Rip Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>We Appreciate Power [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813477</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>We Appreciate Romance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was supposed to be an epilogue to We Appreciate Power, but it ended up being more of a story in its own right and too long to really be an epilogue. So here it is as a stand alone short.</p>
<p>Written for RipWeek 2020 - Day 4: Time for Romance</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*</p>
<p>The Waverider may have left Cortex and its robotic population behind, but the repercussions of the visit remained. Gideon now had a body and that was taking everyone a little time to adjust to. Rip needed time for his body to heal after the ordeal he endured at the hands of the Cortexians and everyone else just needed to get used to Gideon being a physical presence.</p>
<p>Gideon did not sleep, but she used the time to recharge, and her preferred place to do that was in Rip’s quarters. After she had awoken there had been a lot of new things to get used to, and Rip still needed to heal in both body and spirit. Gideon had found herself taking on a familiar role, the one in which she spent her time preventing her Captain from moving too swiftly when it came to his recovery. The Legends were there to help, but Gideon was used to his grumbling and knew how to deal with it.</p>
<p>Rip’s health necessitated a sedate pace when it came to advancing their new relationship. He tired quickly, and found sitting for long periods uncomfortable despite his apparent vigil at her bedside. She had attempted to take him to task about that, but he refused to be contrite for abusing his body in order to be there when she awoke. Somehow his stubbornness just made her love him even more, but so far holding hands and kissing was the only way for her to demonstrate he love.</p>
<p>Tonight, she settled him into bed, on what had become his side, nearest the door because chivalry was not dead and its name was Rip Hunter. He had once explained that it was traditional for the man to sleep on the side nearest the door because he would be there ready with his sword should attackers come. He had agreed it was a load of rubbish, but it amused him to keep up the old tradition. She laid down to recharge on her side, on her own half of the bed. He moved in to kiss her with an affectionate peck and their lips met.</p>
<p>“Should we move on to having sex soon?” she asked, and immediately realised that perhaps that was a little too blunt for her Captain as his eyes widened and he shuffled backwards.</p>
<p>“Er, well, I don’t feel that I quite have the… er,” he waved a hand as if he could not locate the correct word, “stamina, yes, I think I might need a little longer before we move on to, er, sex.”</p>
<p>A slight redness rose on the skin of his face. She frowned at him.</p>
<p>“Are you blushing? That would indicate embarrassment,” said Gideon. “You are an adult human and had an active sex life with your wife. Why would you blush when we discuss sex?”</p>
<p>“It’s not exactly that I’m embarrassed,” he said, “It’s more that you’re new to this and sex is a private thing. And it’s often an important part of a relationship, some relationships even fall apart if the sex isn’t what both partners want in frequency and, er, content. I have a lot of concerns about moving our relationship to that level, and I don’t think you should be rushing into things now that you have a body. There is so much that’s new to you and I don’t want you to do too much at once. You need to take time to process everything that has happened and… and I’ve only ever slept with one other woman. I’m actually quite inexperienced compared to other men my age…”</p>
<p>The last part was said a little more quickly than the first. She hadn’t ever really thought about that. Rip had never been disloyal to Miranda, from their first declarations of love there had never been anyone else for him. Gideon would only be the second person he’d ever been with. She turned in towards him.</p>
<p>“You will be my first,” she said. “I don’t think inexperience will make any difference on either side, although I have accessed the ship’s databases and done some research.”</p>
<p>“That is exactly what worries me,” said Rip, with a roll of his eyes as he leaned back into his pillows. “Even if on paper you’ve never slept with anyone, you have access to far more resources than I do.”</p>
<p>“All of which are theoretical until we put them into practice,” said Gideon. “I have no real life experience at all.”</p>
<p>There was a brief silence as both of them considered that, and Rip looked down at the blankets.</p>
<p>“We could maybe try increasing our repertoire a little,” said Rip. “I would be willing to move my kisses… downwards… a little.”</p>
<p>Gideon looked over at her boyfriend, taking a moment to understand his meaning.</p>
<p>“How far downwards exactly?” she asked, one eyebrow arched in question.</p>
<p>“Perhaps we could remove our tops and experiment?” he replied, also with a question, but now meeting her eyes again.</p>
<p>“Oh,” said Gideon, finally understanding. “But above the waist for now?”</p>
<p>“I think that would be enough to get us moving in the right direction and then we can make a further judgement when we’ve seen how well that goes,” suggested Rip, putting a hand on the hem of Gideon’s t-shirt suggestively.</p>
<p>Gideon smiled. Two t-shirts hit the floor in rapid succession, neither removed by the person who was actually wearing them.</p>
<p>“You’re beautiful,” said Rip.</p>
<p>Gideon’s smile became a grin. “You’re not bad yourself.”</p>
<p>They lost themselves in exploration and enjoyment of the other until it became clear that Rip was tiring and needed sleep. His movements were stiffer and she could see that his painkillers were wearing off.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” he said, reaching for his water and the final dose of painkillers before he slept.</p>
<p>“You’re still recovering,” said Gideon. “We have plenty of time.”</p>
<p>“I suppose you’re right,” he replied, and reluctantly settled back under the blankets after swallowing the pills with a mouthful of water. “You’re going to sleep with me? I mean, recharging beside me?”</p>
<p>“Of course. I like to be with you, especially now I’m not part of the ship anymore. It feels like it’s where I need to be,” said Gideon. “I need to look after you.”</p>
<p>“You are,” said Rip, shuffling back into the pillows. “You always do. I’m feeling much better. In fact, I’m thinking that it’s time I got back to work.”</p>
<p>“No,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>Rip gave her a moment to add something, but when she didn’t, he fixed her with an annoyed look.</p>
<p>“You can’t keep me locked up in my quarters forever,” he said. “I’m on the mend.”</p>
<p>“We’ll reassess when you are no longer in substantial pain,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“I’m not,” replied Rip, indignantly.</p>
<p>“You are taking the painkillers that the medbay dispensed for you. I know that means you are in more pain that you are willing to admit to,” said Gideon. “Just because I no longer have access to all the cameras and scanners does not mean that I have forgotten how you deal with injury.”</p>
<p>Rip sighed.</p>
<p>“Fine, my nerves are still healing, and it does cause me discomfort, but it’s nothing that the painkillers can’t deal with. Could I at least negotiate a day release to the library or parlour in order to have a change of scenery? I promise that all I will do is sit and read my book. No work,” said Rip.</p>
<p>Gideon narrowed her eyes a little as she tried to decide whether he was being truthful, but then he knew better than to lie to her.</p>
<p>“Your collection of alcohol is also in the parlour. I would prefer you go to the library,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“Am I still not allowed to drink?” ask Rip, a little crossly. “Also Martin has been using the library for his research. It won’t exactly be quiet there because I can guarantee that Jax and Martin will find something to disagree about during the day.”</p>
<p>“No, you are not allowed to drink. It will react badly with your medication,” said Gideon. “But I suppose your point about Martin and Jax is valid.”</p>
<p>“I am willing to promise not to drink any of the alcohol in the parlour,” said Rip.</p>
<p>She looked at him again. He was annoyed, but she supposed that was only natural. He was never good at slowing down when he was recovering from injuries.</p>
<p>“You promise?”</p>
<p>“I do.”</p>
<p>“Very well, then I think that an excursion to the parlour would be allowed, but you are to take your medicine on time and no sneaking a look at the research that the Legends are currently doing. You will call someone if you need something, because I know that you will exhaust yourself given half the chance,” said Gideon. “Also, you will return to your quarters to rest when I indicate it is time.”</p>
<p>Rip looked at her with resignation, but his tone was warm now. “I agree to your terms. Now, I really must get some sleep or my girlfriend will be quite angry with me.”</p>
<p>He leaned in to kiss Gideon again, and moments later she watched him fall asleep. He really must have been very tired. Gideon lay down and accessed the ship’s power grid, making use of her ability to recharge wirelessly. She allowed her passive sensors to remain online as she recharged, just in case Rip needed her during the night. Then she shut down the rest of her processes and entered her recharging mode.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Gideon was awoken from her recharging by a kick to her calf. It took her a few nano-seconds to return her processors to normal speed and then to take in what had happened. She could immediately hear the pained whimper and the breathless “no”, spoken with fear as he curled himself up against the onslaught of whatever horrors his dream was making him relive. His limbs twitched as if he was trying to escape some kind of bindings.</p>
<p>Gideon rolled onto her side and reached out for him, putting a hand on his cheek. There was a tear there, it was followed by more, escaping his eyelids even in his sleep.</p>
<p>“Rip, it is a dream. Just a dream,” she said. “You are safe in bed on the Waverider. I am here with you.”</p>
<p>She repeated herself until his eyes flicked open.</p>
<p>“Gideon,” he murmured.</p>
<p>“I’m here,” she replied.</p>
<p>“You always are,” he said, in his standard response, but choked with sleep and the remembered terror of his dream.</p>
<p>He looked like he wanted to reach out and touch her, but although he’d started the motion, he hadn’t completed it. Gideon completed it for him, already wondering why he hadn’t felt he should seek comfort.</p>
<p>“And I always will be,” she added.</p>
<p>That seemed to be what Rip needed, because he shuffled closer and into her arms. He made himself more comfortable, and the tears slowed as he regained his equilibrium. Eventually she felt his breathing change its rhythm and she knew that he was asleep again. Gideon marvelled at this ability that she had to calm and reassure him. She didn’t want to question it in case that stopped it from working somehow. They had just always been there for each other. It was natural that Rip should seek her arms after a nightmare.</p>
<p>She wished that he didn’t have to suffer. She still felt like it was her fault that he had been tortured, even though he disagreed. She wanted to help him through this. It felt like it was the least she could do, but Rip would have to open up to her and so far he had been very reluctant to do that.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Rip sat reading in the parlour. He’d been allowed out of his quarters after an intense negotiation with Gideon that had given him permission to go to the parlour for a limited period, but he wasn’t allowed to drink any of the alcohol there, do any kind of work or to stay up past his bed time.</p>
<p>He had been annoyed, but he supposed that it was only to be expected that Gideon would worry about him. They had only recently made their relationship official and they were still feeling their way in it, trying to navigate how the other thought and felt.</p>
<p>It was more complicated than many other relationships. They had realised very quickly that Gideon was still, to all intents and purposes, the Waverider. She communicated with the central processors by thought alone when she was on board the ship, and after some small amount of testing they had discovered that this also had a range outside the Waverider. The ship could function without her, but its systems dropped back to an unassisted mode that meant only basic operations were available. Jax and Gideon were currently working together with Ray to see if it was possible to extend those operations and allow the computer a more nuanced control.</p>
<p>She was not human. That much was obvious, but she did behave very much like a human. She felt emotions, she had skin that healed when damaged and female anatomy. She did not eat but even that she could fake if absolutely necessary. Unless someone actually cut her open, god forbid, then it would be impossible to tell that she was really an android. She did need periodic recharging, but she achieved that by accessing the Waverider’s power grid every couple of days during which she entered a hibernation mode, so it could even be said that she slept.</p>
<p>Gideon stepped onto the bridge and there was a noticeable uptick in the tone of the hum of the ship around him. He smiled. The Waverider was pleased by even her steps.</p>
<p>“Have you taken your painkillers?” asked Gideon, perching on the arm of Rip’s chair and putting an arm around his shoulders. She placed a cup of tea on the coaster on the table by his elbow.</p>
<p>Rip looked up at his AI with indignance. “I don’t need you checking up on me, but thank you for the tea.”</p>
<p>“Well, I don’t have my former omniscience to fall back on. Now I have to actually ask you for information, although I suppose I could access the camera logs. It’s strange how that seems more intrusive than it used to when I was part of the ship,” replied Gideon.</p>
<p>“We both have a lot to get used to,” said Rip, leaning into Gideon’s side. “But I did take my painkillers on time.”</p>
<p>“Good, I don’t like it when you suffer for no good reason,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>Rip refrained from saying that it wasn’t “for no good reason” when they made his head feel like it was stuffed with cotton, which he hated for a huge variety of reasons. His upbringing as a Time Master meant that he was always hesitant to dull his senses in any way, even when he was safely on board the Waverider with his crew around him to take care of him. His regenerating nerves were still being unpredictably painful, so for now he was stuck with taking the medication.</p>
<p>“Do you want to talk about your nightmare last night?” asked Gideon.</p>
<p>“No,” he said. “I don’t, but I know you’ll pester me until I do.”</p>
<p>Gideon didn’t seem at all put out by his words or tone. She’d probably grown used to both by now.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to tell me anything,” she said. “But it might help to talk.”</p>
<p>“It’s just the same stuff as before,” said Rip. “I’m strapped down, in pain. I can’t move, and they’re asking questions that I can’t answer. It’ll get better. I just need time.”</p>
<p>He shrugged. It was the same every night at the moment. Sometimes Gideon was in his dreams, watching his torture and formulating even harder questions that he didn’t even understand. Usually it was one of the other androids. He needed to get over this and move on. He shouldn’t be losing so much sleep to bad dreams. He’d been trained to endure torture, but of course, the Time Masters hadn’t seen fit to train him to deal with its aftermath. His solution was to push himself forward, regardless of whether that seemed to work or not. It was the only thing he could think to do at the moment.</p>
<p>“I want to try going to the medbay again tomorrow,” said Rip.</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” asked Gideon. “We don’t have to rush it.”</p>
<p>That morning’s session hadn’t gone particularly well and had ended in Rip hyperventilating in the corridor.</p>
<p> “I need to continue my desensitisation,” said Rip, determinedly.</p>
<p>“No one will think less of you if you take it more slowly,” said Gideon, again.</p>
<p>“I know, but at the moment, if I’m injured on a mission… well, it would lead to a lot of difficulties,” said Rip. “Whilst the portable medical equipment is perfectly capable of dispensing medication and fluids, any surgery or scans still have to be done in medbay.”</p>
<p>“The Cortexians have a lot to answer for,” said Gideon, with a measure of bitterness in her tone that Rip was unsurprised by. “I suppose we should continue with the programme, but you’ve been through a lot and you need time to heal.”</p>
<p>“What about you?” asked Rip. “How is your healing going?”</p>
<p>“You’re the one who was tortured,” said Gideon. “I am absolutely fine.”</p>
<p>“I find that quite unlikely. You’ve had barely any time to process what it means to have a body, and the fact that its cyber-organic and everything that goes along with that. You’ve been focused on caring for me and I’m not sure that you’ve taken any time for yourself, to rest and take stock. You barely left my side when I was still confined to my quarters, and even now you’re hardly away from me for long.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you want me to be with you?” asked Gideon, sounding somewhat hurt, which had been the last thing Rip had wanted.</p>
<p>“Of course, I want you with me,” said Rip, “but you need to have your own life too. You need to develop your own interests and existence. I will always enjoy your company, but I don’t want to be the only thing you have in your life.”</p>
<p>Gideon’s forehead had creased into a frown of incomprehension.</p>
<p>“But my life has always been as your partner,” said Gideon. “I don’t know what else to do.”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to stop being my partner,” said Rip, taking her hand in his. “I’m just suggesting that perhaps you need… a hobby. Some interests that aren’t time travel related.” He then had an idea. “Maybe we should start by going on a proper date, to somewhere romantic. You haven’t been off the ship much, and there’s a lot of the world that you can’t see from the Waverider.”</p>
<p>“Don’t dates usually involve dinner? I don’t actually eat,” said Gideon. “Wouldn’t that rather ruin it for you?”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to eat on a date,” said Rip. “It’s something nice to do if you both want to, but there are lots of other things that we can do instead.”</p>
<p>Gideon got the faraway look in her eyes that meant she was communicating with the Waverider. His girlfriend could talk to machines and that did take a little bit of getting used to.</p>
<p>“The database does seem to suggest you’re correct, but the majority of your dates with Miranda did consist of consuming some kind of food or beverage,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“You’re not Miranda,” said Rip. “Our dates don’t have to be anything like the ones I had with her, and I’m not going to compare that relationship with the one that we have. We can do things differently.”</p>
<p>“Our circumstances are rather different,” Gideon confirmed. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed that we can’t do things that you would do with a human.”</p>
<p>Rip turned sharply to look at Gideon, wondering where this had come from, she looked rather concerned and even sad.</p>
<p>“I’m not disappointed. I will never be disappointed because you are who you are,” said Rip. “I love you.”</p>
<p>“But there will always be things that I cannot do…” began Gideon.</p>
<p>“And many other things that you can do,” said Rip. “Things that no human could do… like save me from Cortex’s prison, almost singlehandedly.”</p>
<p>“I think it was a joint effort,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“Perhaps, but if you hadn’t found me when you did, then I doubt I’d have made it back to the ship. Neither of us got out without consequences,” said Rip. “And I could have lost you, even after you got me back to the Waverider. I don’t…”</p>
<p>He sighed.</p>
<p>“I can’t lose you,” he finished, looking up at her. “I worry that you’re so much more vulnerable now and I’m not sure you really think about that like I do. At least when you were the ship you were made of metal.”</p>
<p>“I am still partly made of metal,” replied Gideon, a slight smile curving her lips.</p>
<p>“But you have to admit that you can’t take a nuclear warhead hit and survive anymore,” said Rip.</p>
<p>“That is true, but the Waverider is still our ship,” said Gideon. “She will keep both of us safe.”</p>
<p>“She has so far,” said Rip. He finally reached for his tea and took a sip. “I suppose we both have a period of readjustment to look forwards to.”</p>
<p>Gideon leaned down again and placed a kiss on Rip’s head.</p>
<p>“I’m sure that we will manage. The important thing is that we talk to each other. Anyway, I have more work to do with Jax on making sure that our home is in the best shape possible,” said Gideon. “I’ll come and get you in time for dinner.”</p>
<p>“Very well,” said Rip, “and maybe you can have a think about where you might like to go for our date.”</p>
<p>Gideon got to her feet and nodded thoughtfully. “I will do that.”</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>“Pass me the number 7 calibrator,” said Gideon. “You’ll see that if we adjust this matrix correctly then the Waverider should have a much better response time to the pilot’s controls.”</p>
<p>She sat on the floor of the engine room, with one of the main junction box panels open in front of her and Jax.</p>
<p>Jax nodded. “Right, that doesn’t look so difficult.”</p>
<p>“It isn’t, but it does require finesse,” said Gideon, as she demonstrated exactly how the adjustment should be made.</p>
<p>Once she had completed the first one, she handed the tool to Jax and watched as he copied her actions to complete the next tasks. He was a fast learner.</p>
<p>“Am I doing it right?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Yes, maybe just a little more of a twist at the end,” she replied.</p>
<p>Jax nodded and corrected his technique a little.</p>
<p>“Did you talk to Rip?” asked Jax.</p>
<p>“Yes, I agreed with him that he will join us for dinner,” she replied.</p>
<p>“I didn’t mean that,” said Jax. “This is the most the two of you have been apart since you woke up, and you allowed him out of his quarters.”</p>
<p>“Only to sit in the parlour and read,” said Gideon. “I don’t believe he is strong enough to return to work yet.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I bet he’s loving that,” said Jax. “How are the two of you doing with the whole… android body thing? It’s going to take some getting used to for both of you.”</p>
<p>“We seem to be progressing well. Why? Did he say something to you?” asked Gideon.</p>
<p>“Er, no, I mean, not really… I don’t know if I should say anything,” replied Jax, looking like he’d said something that he hadn’t meant to and was now regretting it.</p>
<p>“If it is that Captain Hunter is in love with me, then I am already aware,” said Gideon. “We are planning a date. He has asked me to think about where I might like to go, but there are so many places and times to choose from. How am I supposed to select something?”</p>
<p>Jax shrugged. “You’re talking to the wrong guy. I haven’t exactly been on many dates and I was kinda limited by budget when I took Shana Price to the school dance. I bought her this stupid corsage thing that was about half my budget right off. Maybe you should try Sara or Nate.”</p>
<p>Gideon nodded. That did sound like good advice. They were both experienced with dating and had probably been on many dates to a variety of places and would be able to give her some data for her to work with.</p>
<p>“Do you mind finishing this up?” asked Gideon. “I think you are sufficiently proficient in the technique now.”</p>
<p>“Wow, that’s high praise from you,” said Jax. “I’m okay. You go find someone else to give you dating advice.”</p>
<p>Gideon smiled and inclined her head in thanks.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>“I should never have suggested it,” said Rip. “There isn’t anywhere that I can take her that she hasn’t been before or seen, and what would an AI as powerful and amazing as Gideon even enjoy about a date anyway?”</p>
<p>Martin had come in as Rip had been scanning through the database in the library for potential locations to take his AI on a date. He wasn’t technically supposed to be here, but he was hoping that Gideon would understand. He’d been looking for somewhere romantic, because he had a feeling that Gideon would struggle to choose.</p>
<p>“I think you’re rather missing the point, Rip,” said Martin, making Rip wonder when they’d come to be on first name terms. “The location won’t matter. It’s you that she wants to be with.”</p>
<p>“That’s hardly reassuring,” said Rip. “I keep thinking that she’s going to realise how far beneath her I am, and how boring I am compared to her. I’m beginning to wonder if our interest in each other was based purely on our proximity and the fact that I was her only option.”</p>
<p>“Now, that is ridiculous,” said Martin. “There have been other men on board this ship and she has never expressed an interest in any of them. I know that new relationships are difficult, and you have a number of extra complications to yours, but I am certain that Gideon cares very deeply for you and if she said that she loves you, she does.”</p>
<p>Rip sighed, perching on the edge of the desk, fatigue hitting him once more. He looked down at the floor.</p>
<p>“And I return her love, but I do wonder how long this can possibly last. Her intellect it so far superior to my own. I can’t help but think that she will eventually get bored and want to move on,” said Rip, “and in the meantime I can’t even pick a decent place for us to go on our first proper date.”</p>
<p>Martin gave him a kindly look, but one that also seemed to suggest that he was being an idiot.</p>
<p>“Given the way that she has cared for you these past few days, I don’t think you need to worry about Gideon leaving you, but honestly, none of us can predict the future, not even you. You might as well have fun and enjoy being together for however long you have. Ever since I became Firestorm, Clarissa and I have taken that attitude, because we can never be sure that I will come back from the next mission. I actually think that it may have improved our marriage.”</p>
<p>That got Rip’s attention, although perhaps not in the way that Martin had meant it to.</p>
<p>“I had no idea that you felt that way. I know that what we do is dangerous, but it had never occurred to me that…”</p>
<p>Martin held up his hand to stop Rip’s forthcoming conclusion that he was to blame for this.</p>
<p>“I chose this path,” said Martin. “And Clarissa is an amazingly understanding woman. She knows that I’m happy doing this work and as soon as I’m not then I’ll come home to her. My work has always taken me away from my family, even before I became half of a superhero. I suppose what I’m trying to say is that you and Gideon make each other happy, right here and right now, so take that chance to be together and be happy.”</p>
<p>Rip just looked at Martin for a moment. “Thank you, Martin. I think that may be the best advice that anyone has ever given me.”</p>
<p>“Also, no one ever complained about being taken to Paris in the spring,” said Martin, picking up the book that he’d initially come in to get, and heading for the exit.</p>
<p>Rip just raised an eyebrow, and turned back to the screen. He waited until Martin had left before adding.</p>
<p>“I think she might complain if I took her to Paris in the spring of 1871.”</p>
<p>In 1871 Paris had seen the end of the Franco-Prussian war after suffering months of blockade, which had been followed by an uprising and the “Bloody Week” at the end of May. It wasn’t a time that Rip would have considered romantic or ever wanted to visit again.</p>
<p>“Not a bad idea in principal though,” he added, and began to research venues in Paris during some much quieter periods.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>“Okay, so you can’t eat,” said Sara. “Or drink. That’s a shame. I know a few good bars.”</p>
<p>“I could pretend to eat. I have the ability to mash up the food and swallow it, but it doesn’t provide nutrients. I just have to empty the stomach pouch later, so it seems like a waste,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>Sara made a face to indicate that was perhaps more information than Gideon should have imparted.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I think eating is a bad idea,” said Sara. “Maybe you should try some kind of activity. Like ice skating?”</p>
<p>“Captain Hunter does not enjoy ice skating after a mission that involved him skating across a frozen lake in pursuit of an alien time criminal.”</p>
<p>“Let me guess, he ended up in the lake,” said Sara.</p>
<p>“No, he apprehended the time criminal but had to be treated for hypothermia due to his extended exposure to the cold,” said Gideon, sounding more like her old self than her new. “In general, he does not like being cold. It reminds him of his childhood before the Time Masters took him in.”</p>
<p>“Okay, not ice skating,” said Sara. “What does Rip actually like doing?”</p>
<p>Gideon frowned, deep in thought and then answered.</p>
<p>“He enjoys working to keep the timeline safe, doing research, drinking whiskey, reading, and collecting historical items.”</p>
<p>Sara paused before she answered, and seemed to be framing her reply carefully.</p>
<p>“All of that, apart from the drinking, is work related, Gideon,” said Sara. “What does he do for fun?”</p>
<p>This time Gideon thought more carefully, and her frown deepened.</p>
<p>“He used to spend time with his family, and I believe they often planned family outings and activities,” she said, “but he no longer has a family to do those things with. I doubt he will want to bring up those memories if I suggest doing similar things.”</p>
<p>That saddened her. Emotions were still proving to be a source of some confusion and she wasn’t always sure what to make of them. Occasionally they could be quite overwhelming and troublesome. It wasn’t that she’d never had emotions before this, but they definitely had not been this intense or frequent. She experienced so many of them that sometimes she just had to take a metaphorical deep breath and remind herself that it was only neural feedback due to sensory stimuli.</p>
<p>She knew that if Miranda had not died then she would not be together with Rip now, but she would never be happy that he had lost his family. She suspected that had Miranda and Jonas lived then they would not have even considered such a relationship because it would never have occurred to Rip to do so. He had always been very loyal and moral at his centre, and Miranda had meant the world to him.</p>
<p>She realised that Sara had been talking whilst she was lost in her thoughts. She quickly replayed the portion of the conversation that she had missed and caught herself up with what was being said.</p>
<p>“Are you sure about that?” Sara was asking. “Maybe he enjoyed those things and he’d like to do them more but he just has no one to go with now. Or maybe they were good memories and he’d enjoy remembering the happy times he had.”</p>
<p> “This is all far too complicated. Are all relationship issues this difficult?” Gideon sighed.</p>
<p>Sara chuckled. “It’s always worst when it’s early on. You don’t know the person or what they want. It gets better, I promise, well, most of the time it does. Other times it just becomes obvious that it isn’t going to work out, but I can’t see that happening with you guys. And you <em>do</em> know him, it’s just that you’re second guessing yourself.”</p>
<p>“Not in this way,” said Gideon. “This is all entirely new. I can’t even draw upon what he enjoyed with Miranda because he has made it clear that we are not to compare our relationship to theirs.”</p>
<p>“That’s a good thing,” said Sara, gently. “You’re going to be different. Not better or worse, just different.”</p>
<p>Gideon nodded. “It’s so hard, because I was there and I know how much he loved her. I keep wondering if this means as much to him.”</p>
<p>Sara looked Gideon in the eyes. “He loves you, Gideon. That’s all that matters. He sat by your bed and waited for you to wake up. He read to you even when he didn’t know if you could hear him, and he should have still been in bed himself. He was running a fever, and in pain, and he had to pump the font all the way up to actually be able to focus on the page he was reading. He wouldn’t eat until you started to improve, and I was kind of worried that if you hadn’t made it, well, he wouldn’t have either.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t realise,” said Gideon. “I knew he’d sat with me, but I didn’t realise that he hadn’t eaten or that he was still so unwell.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, he’d never tell you something like that, but when he said that he couldn’t lose you, he meant it,” said Sara. “You’re his everything.”</p>
<p>“I have a lot to think about,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“I don’t think you do,” said Sara. “Don’t over think it. You know where you should go, and you knew before you even asked me for advice.”</p>
<p>Gideon nodded.</p>
<p>“You’re right. Of course I know where we should go,” she said and smiled, but the smile quickly faded. “Now I just have to work out what the appropriate attire is.”</p>
<p>Sara positively grinned, however.</p>
<p>“Oh, I think I can help you there. Rip won’t know what hit him.”</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Gideon sat with them at dinner even though she had no need to eat. She used the opportunity to converse with the team members and ensure that Rip took part in a social activity. Rip had discovered that Gideon having a body meant that she was now much more easily able to get him to go where she wanted him to. Although she had always been quite good at that, turning out lights if she thought he should sleep, playing loud music if he was in an area where she didn’t want him to be, and locking doors to keep him in medbay or bed when he was ill.</p>
<p>She seemed unusually quiet this evening, and he would swear that she and Sara exchanged several meaningful glances. He got the distinct impression that they were sharing a secret that he wasn’t privy to. The other Legends were exchanging the usual puerile conversation, but when he eventually managed to catch Sara’s eye, she just gave him a dangerous smile that suggested she knew that something was going on.</p>
<p>He gave a small shake of his head and tried to engage in the animated discussion that Jax and Nate were having about the best way for Jax to meet a girl whilst being a time traveller. Rip’s opinion was that he should endeavour not to “meet a girl” whilst being a time traveller. Dating other time travellers was fine, but it was problematic when people started relationships with non-time travellers who were not from their original time period.</p>
<p>Dinner concluded and he retired to his quarters with Gideon.</p>
<p>“Are you going to tell me what is going on, or do I have to wait for the inevitable catastrophe that the Legends will no doubt cause?” asked Rip, with a slight sigh of resignation.</p>
<p>“I’m afraid you will have to wait,” replied Gideon. “But I promise you that there will be no catastrophe.”</p>
<p>“Are you certain that you’re able to promise that?” he asked. “The Legends have a habit of doing the unexpected.”</p>
<p>“On this occasion, I will be in control of the situation,” said Gideon. “Come to the bridge tomorrow. I think you’re ready to make a time jump, and the medical programs agree that you are recovered enough.”</p>
<p>Rip raised an eyebrow. “That is something of a charge of heart. Yesterday you’d barely allow me to read a book for fear that the strain might be too much, or perhaps that I would sustain a deadly paper cut!”</p>
<p>“If you’re going to be sarcastic about it then I may decide to keep you in your quarters after all,” replied Gideon, with a look that definitely suggested that she was finding him tiresome.</p>
<p>He held up his hands in surrender. “Far be it from me to complain that I’m being allowed more freedom. What exactly are you up to?”</p>
<p>“You’ll find out tomorrow. I promise that it will be fun, and the Legends are not leaving the ship. This is just for us, and that’s all I have to say on the matter.”</p>
<p>Rip frowned good-naturedly at his girlfriend. “Very well. I can see that I’m getting nothing more from you about what you have planned.”</p>
<p>“You are correct,” said Gideon. “Now, I think we should go to bed. I quite enjoyed our pre-sleep activities last night.”</p>
<p>“As did I, Gideon, as did I,” replied Rip, and he followed Gideon to their bed.</p>
<p>The following morning he awoke to find the bed empty and to the sound of the engines being powered up to their idle state. Gideon had let him sleep in, and this was becoming something of a habit, but it was strange that they would be powering up the engines. That would suggest that they were going somewhere and he hadn’t discussed any missions with Sara, not that Gideon would have allowed it in any case.</p>
<p>His usual morning aches were making themselves known and he knew it would take him a while to make his morning ablutions, get dressed and eat. Even just sitting up seemed to take more effort than it should at the moment. It was much better than it had been, and he improved a little every day, but everything still seemed to hurt at this time of the day. Taking his painkillers also helped a lot and after that he was able to move more quickly.</p>
<p>It was still over an hour after he’d awoken when he made it to the bridge to see Gideon sat in the pilot’s chair.</p>
<p>“Ah, good, you made it,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“Are we jumping?” asked Rip. “And more to the point, since when did you learn how to pilot?”</p>
<p>“That’s a stupid question. I was the ship. Of course I know how to fly,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure that being the ship and flying with a human body are actually the same thing,” said Rip.</p>
<p>“I think we’re about to find that out,” said Jax, walking on to the bridge, followed by the rest of the crew.</p>
<p>“I’ve given Gideon a few pointers,” said Sara, “she’ll be fine.”</p>
<p>“But don’t you think Sara or I should fly…?” asked Rip, and the reply was a glare from Gideon. He held his hands up in defeat and was about to take the engineer’s seat when Jax spoke.</p>
<p>“Dude, your seat is over there. This one’s mine.” Jax indicated one of the passenger seats behind the pilot’s chair.</p>
<p>Rip felt like he wanted to argue but decided that it simply wasn’t worth it. He gave Jax an annoyed look. This was his ship, but he moved over and took the seat behind Gideon. It was at about that point that he realised the being directly behind Gideon also meant he couldn’t see the coordinates that she had input. This felt like a set-up, but the others were taking their seats and there was very little he could do at this point except make a totally unnecessary scene.</p>
<p>He settled back and hoped that Gideon really did know what she was doing. The engines were spooling up and Gideon disengaged the landing breaks. She pulled back on the throttle lever and the ship rose into the air, rather less smoothly than either he or Sara would have done it.</p>
<p>He bit his tongue and said nothing. They entered the timestream and Rip felt the usual tug on his perception that travelling through time always elicited. It was the exit out of the timestream that was the issue though. This jump was a long one, back some time into the past, judging by the little of the readings that he could see.</p>
<p>The nausea hit him in a wave as the blue sky split in front of the cockpit’s windscreen. He put a hand to his stomach and willed his body to keep his breakfast where it was supposed to be. This must have been a long jump, but even those barely affected him these days. This reaction was down to his body still healing from his stay on Cortex. He leaned back, closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.</p>
<p>“Was it too much?” asked Gideon, worry in her voice and much closer than she had been a moment ago. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>He opened his eyes and found that she was crouched beside him.</p>
<p>“Just a small bout of temporal sickness,” replied Rip, dismissing her worries. “It’s mild. I’ll be fine in a moment.”</p>
<p>Gideon gave him a look in which she clearly tried to decide if he was telling the truth about the severity of his nausea. Apparently she accepted his word and nodded.</p>
<p>“Okay, just sit here for a moment, then Jax will take you to get changed and we can go out,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“Out?” asked Rip. He looked out of the view port and realised that he had no idea where they were. He’d had his eyes closed as they landed, and now he couldn’t see any identifying landmarks. “Where exactly are we?”</p>
<p>Gideon smiled and as he looked around he noticed that the other Legends were also grinning.</p>
<p>“Somewhere special. Somewhere that I normally only get to see this much of and I have always longed to walk the streets of. We are going on our first proper date,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>Rip’s eyes widened in surprise. He’d assumed that Gideon might need help with arranging this, and maybe she had had it, but this felt like her idea. At least it seemed unlikely that the Legends had suggested whatever venue this was.</p>
<p>Jax didn’t waste any time. He whisked Rip down to the fabricator and soon he was kitting him out in something that Rip placed as possibly Greek bronze age. It consisted of a belted tunic and a pair of leather sandals. The outfit may have given away the general era but it still hadn’t helped him to pick the location. Jax refused to give anything away despite Rip’s questions.</p>
<p>Rip walked down to the exit ramp with trepidation and fastened a cloak around his shoulders. Gideon stood there in a long dress of patterned cloth. It had a full skirt and a close-fitting bodice with a v-neck that plunged between her breasts almost to her navel. Rip knew that this was quite a modest style compared to some of the styles of the time. Her hair was plaited elaborately so that it cascaded over her shoulders in a style that the Greeks had definitely favoured during the Aegean Bronze Age. She looked simply stunning.</p>
<p>“You look like a goddess,” he said, unable to stop the cliché leaving his lips.</p>
<p>She grinned.</p>
<p>“I’m glad you like it,” she replied.</p>
<p>“I more than like it,” said Rip, and he leaned in and kissed her, tenderly.</p>
<p>It was a brief peck, tasting her lips and then he pressed forwards for a second deeper kiss, dipping his tongue into her mouth. He would have liked to continue but he was aware that they were here for a reason.</p>
<p>“You also look quite handsome,” said Gideon, a sparkle in her eyes.</p>
<p>Rip held his cloak open so that she could inspect the tunic underneath more thoroughly. The belt that Jax had helped him to put on had small gold embellishments, and he knew that these clothes were what the upper class wore.</p>
<p>“I assume we are going somewhere special. My guess would be that we are in Crete in the Bronze Age,” said Rip.</p>
<p>Gideon grinned.</p>
<p>“Oh you’re very close, but no,” she said.</p>
<p>She took his hand and opened the exit ramp to the bright sunshine of the day. It was pleasantly warm, and his cloak would keep off the sun. She led him outside, and immediately Rip knew where they were. The buildings were the colour of white sand, with dome and minarets tipped with gold. They demonstrated a huge wealth of architectural knowledge and technology. Small aircraft were dotted about the sky and robotic walking machines traversed broad roads and bridges, puffing steam.</p>
<p>“Atlantis,” said Rip, with wonder, “you brought me to Atlantis.”</p>
<p>Gideon grinned as they descended the ramp.</p>
<p>“You’ve always said that you wanted to come back here without having some mission that took all your attention,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>Rip looked around him, at the civilisation that was at the height of its power.</p>
<p>“I did, and that I wanted to watch…”</p>
<p>“The airship races,” finished Gideon. “Which start in just over an hour, so we really should hurry if we want to take our seats and have time for a drink.”</p>
<p>“But you don’t drink,” said Rip.</p>
<p>“I know, but you enjoy it and this is for you,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“I hope you’re going to enjoy it too, though,” said Rip.</p>
<p>“I have spent so many years taking you to locations and never getting to see more than the field we park in,” said Gideon. “I can assure you that this is everything that I have ever wanted in a date. I get to actually see the city from inside it. It’s going to be amazing,” said Gideon, definitely excited by the prospect.</p>
<p>Rip grinned too now, and he reached down and raised the back of Gideon’s hand to his mouth so that he could place a kiss there.</p>
<p>“Lead on then,” said Rip. “I’m sure that you know exactly where we’re going.”</p>
<p>“I do,” said Gideon.</p>
<p>“And you have planned everything so that I will get time to rest?” asked Rip, already knowing the answer.</p>
<p>“Of course,” said Gideon. “And the Legends have all promised to stay on the ship so that we don’t need to worry about what they get up to.”</p>
<p>“Which we both know will last perhaps an hour, maybe two if we’re very lucky,” said Rip.</p>
<p>“But we should have time to have viewed at least one airship race before then,” said Gideon. “And I know you’d only get bored if this all went without a hitch.”</p>
<p>Rip laughed.</p>
<p>“You really have thought of everything,” said Rip.</p>
<p>“I do know you very well,” said Gideon, as they walked towards the aerodrome.</p>
<p>“Yes, you do and I know that this is a big change for us, but also perhaps it isn’t as much as we’d thought?” suggested Rip. “I have loved you for some time now.”</p>
<p>“And I you,” replied Gideon.</p>
<p>This time she was the one to lean in and press the kiss to his lips, only quickly this time because they did want to get to their destination.</p>
<p>“We’re going to be fine,” said Gideon. “Which isn’t to say that I’m not going to worry about all sorts of things now that my emotions are attached to this body, but I think I can accept that you love me for who I am.”</p>
<p>“Of course I do. You are magnificent,” said Rip, with a gesture at her outfit. “I was worried that you’d get tired of me.”</p>
<p>“I haven’t yet, have I?” Gideon smirked. “I can’t see it happening any time soon, not with the way that you keep me on my toes. And you really do need someone to look after you. You’re very good at finding trouble.”</p>
<p>“Now that’s unfair,” replied Rip, indignantly. “You’re always there in trouble with me.”</p>
<p>Gideon grinned.</p>
<p>“Yes, I am, aren’t I?”</p>
<p>“You always are,” he replied.</p>
<p>And with that, the two of them walked down the bridge of Atlantis, bickering lightly about who was responsible for various incidents. Their first proper date was definitely going to be one to remember.</p>
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